title: The effect of a contraceptive vaginal ring and oral contraceptives on the vaginal flora.
abstract: Premenopausal women seeking a steroid contraceptive method were allowed to choose between a contraceptive vaginal ring (CVR) containing levonorgestrel and estradiol used in a 3-week in, 1-week out regimen (n=20) and an oral contraceptive (OC) containing levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol in a 28-day regimen (n = 10). Cultures from the posterior vaginal fornix were obtained before therapy in both groups and monthly for 6 months for the CVR group and after 1, 3, and 6 months for the OC group. These cultures were streaked on specific media to provide quantitative aerobic and anaerobic, lactobacillus, Candida sp., Gardnerella vaginalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae counts in micro-organisms per milliliter. A comparison of the number and types of organisms isolated from vaginal cultures obtained initially and at 6 months demonstrated no statistically significant differences in colony counts between CVR and OC users. The results of this study suggest that the use of the CVR is not associated with a greater growth of pathogens than is oral administration of a progestin and estrogen combination.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003274:Contraceptive Devices, Female; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006194:Gardnerella vaginalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016912:Levonorgestrel; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009644:Norgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D009644:Norgestrel; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D004958:Estradiol; D016912:Levonorgestrel